I studied in modern times

Chapter 1056 Deep Binding
That evening, the Duting Post Station was brightly lit.

All members of the Liao delegation were indulging in drinking and merrymaking.

The noise, clamor, and cheers echoed throughout the entire Duting Post Station.

Naturally, the entire Western Xia delegation staying at Duting Post Station heard it.

The Western Xia people were naturally very curious.

So Tian Huairong sent a few people who understood Khitan and Mandarin to secretly go and investigate.

Then, these people brought back news that terrified Tian Huairong—the Liao people were celebrating wildly in celebration of the new Song-Liao treaty!
Moreover, the drunken Liao followers made outrageous remarks while intoxicated.

They say things like "Song and Liao formed a marriage alliance and jointly divided Western Xia" or "Song emperors gained the support of Xia, and Liao divided Hexi."

Upon hearing this, Tian Huairong was utterly terrified.

I couldn't fall asleep all night.

Starting in the eighth year of the Yuanfeng era, relations between the Song and Liao dynasties became closer, which immediately became the biggest crisis for Western Xia!

In a sense, the special military operation launched by Liang Yibu in the first year of the Yuan You era, in conjunction with Aligu of the Tubo Kingdom, was actually a struggle for the survival of the Western Xia Dynasty.

Only by defeating either the Song or Liao dynasties on the battlefield.

Only then did the Western Xia have the opportunity to win the value of united front work through its strength and break the Song-Liao alliance.

Otherwise, they could only watch helplessly as they were slowly suffocated under the pressure from the Song and Liao states, and were slowly tortured to death.

Now, this former nightmare is about to become reality.

The Western Xia people had no choice but to panic!
In particular, there were scholar-officials like Tian Huairong, who were Han Chinese but had sided with the Tanguts!
This is practically the end of the world!
Do not!
It's worse than the end of the world!
If the Song and Liao dynasties were to jointly destroy the Western Xia, the Tangut people, who constituted the majority of the Western Xia state, might be able to surrender, and their rulers and nobles might even be supported with high-ranking positions and generous salaries.

It serves as a mascot to highlight its own "benevolence".

Just like the Western Xia prince consort, Zhua Jueweiming, who was captured twice by the Song Dynasty but received preferential treatment each time.

However, Han Chinese scholar-officials like Tian Huairong, once captured, would not receive any preferential treatment. If they were simply beheaded, they would consider themselves lucky!
People like them are more likely to be taken to Bianjing (Kaifeng), forced into a marketplace, and executed by the executioner in full view of the public!

This is precisely why Han Chinese people within the territories of the Western Xia and Liao dynasties were more loyal than the Tanguts and Khitans.

If things fail, the Tanguts and Khitans will still have value in united front work!
And them?
The only value of being beheaded or subjected to slow slicing is being cut in half!
Even if they surrender voluntarily, they will still be labeled as "people who surrendered to the Ming Dynasty".

The term "returning to the Ming Dynasty" sounds quite appealing.

But think about it carefully?

In any case, Tian Huairong did not want to become a member of the Guiming regime, and he did not want to be captured and taken to Bianjing to be executed by dismemberment.

Therefore, after a brief moment of panic, he immediately arranged for people to return to China by fast horse to report the news and warn others, while at the same time writing a petition to be received overnight.

Zhao Xu cooperated fully.

He not only received him warmly, but also comforted him, saying, "The Xia Kingdom has always been respectful and compliant, so why would I use troops?"
Tian Huairong refused to believe it.

Moreover, when he went out, he happened to run into Yelü Ju, the Liao envoy, who was chatting and laughing with Xing Shu.

Now I'm even less likely to believe it!

You guys don't even bother to hide your true selves anymore, yet you still lie to me?

So, upon returning, he immediately sent another messenger back to China via the Song-Xia Kingdom.

Zhao Xu noticed Tian Huairong's panic and felt reassured.

"The Tanguts should start to panic!"

Things become easier once the Tanguts get anxious.

This opportunity could also be used to further divide the Western Xia state.

"Liang Yibu!" Zhao Xu pondered the name, a strange glint in his eyes, and murmured softly, "Perhaps, we can get Lü Huiqing to sponsor him a little more!"

This powerful minister of Western Xia, who was killed by his own sister in his previous life, is now practically a regional warlord within Western Xia!
Of course, this wouldn't have been possible without Zhao Xu's financial support.

Without Zhao Xu's encouragement and support, Liang Yibu would not have been able to support so many troops, let alone have had the resources to win over local forces within Western Xia.

In truth, the current political landscape has been completely altered under Zhao Xu's influence.

The entire known world has been turned into a complete mess by Zhao Xu.

And this is exactly what Zhao Xu needs.

This world needs to descend into chaos!

The messier the better!

If things don't get chaotic, who will buy the goods from the Song Dynasty?
and so……

Zhao Xu decided to add fuel to the fire and make the world even more chaotic!

So he picked up his pen, wrote down a command, handed it to Tong Guan, and instructed him: "Immediately send it by fast horse to Prime Minister Lü of Xihe for implementation!"

"Yes, sir!" Tong Guan accepted the command and bowed to receive the order.

As he walked out of the Hall of Heroes, he glanced curiously at the words on the Emperor's command post.

There aren't many words on it, but it contains a lot of information.

The commander ordered Lü Huiqing to raise the purchase price of cotton in the cotton plantation next year—an average increase of 10%!
Tong Guan shrank back, not quite understanding the Emperor's intentions.

This shows that he didn't understand Hayek's invisible hand.

When the government raises the cotton purchase price, there's no need to think about what the cotton plantation owners will do.

It's definitely about expanding production! And to expand cotton production, you need cheap labor.

Today, Xihe Road no longer has the triangular trade that provides it with a continuous supply of cheap labor.

Although the Song Dynasty had a large population, labor costs were high!

Having become accustomed to the cheap labor of the Tibetan tribes, would the cotton plantation owners be willing to pay several times the wages of the Tibetan laborers to hire people from the inner prefectures?

Ha ha!

Therefore, they only have one way out.

Buy like crazy!

The only place that could provide Xihe with a large labor force was the Western Xia.

With the court not planning to wage war, Lü Gongzhu repeatedly and strictly forbade any unauthorized actions on the border.

Zhao Xu didn't even need to think about what choices the cotton plantation owners in Xihe would make under such circumstances.

The answer is obvious—support agents.

Let their agents help them seize it!
They will support and back whoever can provide them with labor.

Regardless of whether this person is called Aligu or Liang Yibu.

That just so happens, isn't the Liao emperor encouraging Zubu to launch his western expedition?
The Tibetans and Tanguts were both related to the Liao people!

At least, that's how it's stated publicly.

Yuanhao once married a princess of Emperor Xingzong of Liao, and both Gusiluo and Xiazhengyi were once married off to princesses by the Liao emperor.

Therefore, both Aligu and Qianshun are now qualified to call Yelü Hongji "Uncle".

It's only natural for a nephew to send troops to help his uncle fight bad guys!

As a result, the waters of the Western Regions became even more turbid.

Uyghurs, Zubu, Tanguts, and Tibetans, unite to fight against the Seljuks!

That sounds exciting!
……

Compared to Tian Huairong's panic.

Yelü Ju, on the other hand, seemed quite pleased with himself!
Because, for some reason, he had exceeded his mission in the Song Dynasty!
The young emperor of the Song Dynasty not only fully cooperated with his mission.

They even put on a charade together, scaring the Tangut people out of their wits!

When this news reaches Liaodong, the emperor will surely be overjoyed.

He and Yelü Yongchang could also use this opportunity to effectively counter the dissenting voices within the country.

Therefore, when Yelü Ju returned to the Jiying Hall, his attitude had completely changed.

He was practically the image of a sycophantic and obsequious minister.

"Your Majesty has shown me such great kindness; I am deeply grateful and will repay you with my life!"

After saying this, he disregarded the unspoken rules of Song-Liao diplomacy and performed a bowing ceremony as a subject would.

Although Yelü Ju did not understand why the young emperor of the Southern Dynasty would cooperate with his performance so much.

but……

He didn't want to think about it anymore.

For him, the best outcome for the relationship between the Song and Liao dynasties would be to maintain its current state forever.

The two countries are very close and mutually beneficial.

In this way, the goods of the Song Dynasty would be in demand, and the army of the Liao Dynasty would not lack rewards.

The world is vast, and there is nowhere we cannot go.
Upon seeing Yelü Ju's condition, Zhao Xu quickly ordered someone to help him up, and said softly, "My dear minister, please get up quickly!"

"Although you are a subject of Liaodong, you are also a loyal subject of mine!"

With that, he instructed Tong Guan beside him, "Lord Tong, proclaim the imperial edict!"

"promise!"

Yelü Ju stared blankly at the smiling young emperor in the hall.

Then, the eunuch beside the young emperor took out a piece of yellow hemp paper and began to read in a melodious tone: "I hereby order Liu Ju, a scholar: Observe the close ministers according to their masters, and observe the distant ministers according to their masters. I did not know you at first, but the Hanlin Academician Shu said that you are capable. He shall be put to an examination at the Imperial Academy and appointed as the examiner of the Imperial Academy. You shall do your best! Since I have appointed you because of Shu, I will also examine your performance to see how Shu is doing! Approved!"

The eunuch in the hall put away the imperial edict and said with a smile, "Grand Scholar Liu, why don't you quickly express your gratitude?"

At this moment, Yelü Ju finally realized what was happening.

Liu Ju, isn't that his registered name in Kaifeng Prefecture?
Overjoyed, he exclaimed, "Your subject Ju kowtows to thank Heaven for its grace!"

May our Emperor live a long and prosperous life!

Then, he bowed and kowtowed, respectfully accepting the imperial edict.

From then on, he belonged to the scholar-official class in the Southern Dynasty!

Moreover, he was a prestigious official at the Imperial Academy!

This means that his descendants were also the descendants of scholars!
The future looks incredibly bright!
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(End of this chapter)